Tag: Rio Tinto

Cygnus Metals (ASX: CY5) has found high-grade assays in an area that majors including Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) and IGO (ASX: IGO) are actively exploring for rare earth elements (REE) in the same area. These are some of the thickest and highest-grade intersections to date at the Bencubbin rare earths project in WA, with grades of up to 7,243ppm TREO from latest drilling with intercepts up to 79m wide. The results came from the company’s July air core and auger drilling program to expand the drill coverage and test the scale of REE enrichment across a major granitic body. Other results include 79m @ 1,576ppm TREO from 32m including 8m @ 7,243ppm TREO, with positive project-wide auger results indicating strike…

Canada’s largest diamond producer, the Diavik mine, 100%-owned and operated by Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO), will build the largest solar power plant across the country’s territories, as the mining giant moves towards achieving net zero across its operations by 2050. With more than 6,600 solar panels generating about 4,200MW-hours of carbon-free electricity annually for the mine, the solar power plant will provide up to 25% of Diavik’s electricity during closure work that will run until 2029, with commercial production from the operation expected to end in early 2026. Diavik Diamond Mine president and chief operating officer Angela Bigg says she is delighted the mine will be significantly increasing its renewable power generation with the largest solar power plant in Canada’s…

Rio Tinto and Sumitomo Corporation will build a first-of-a-kind hydrogen plant in Gladstone, Queensland, as part of a A$111.1m program aimed at lowering carbon emissions from the alumina refining process, it was announced yesterday. This came on the same day the Queensland Government formally announced $21.7m in funding for Alpha HPA Limited’s second stage of HPA First Project, a $300m-plus high-purity alumina (HPA) facility in Gladstone. The Rio Tinto-Sumitomo Yarwun Hydrogen Calcination Pilot Demonstration Program, where hydrated alumina is heated up to 1000 °C, received a $32.1m funding boost from the Federal Government’s Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). Rio Tinto Aluminium Pacific operations managing director Armando Torres says the pilot plant is an important step in testing whether hydrogen can…

Wabtec Corporation (NYSE: WAB) has received an order from Rio Tinto for four FLXdrive battery-electric locomotives to support sustainable operations of the mining company’s rail network in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The 100-percent, battery-powered locomotive will help Rio Tinto’s effort to achieve a 50-percent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 2030. “Our partnership with Wabtec is an investment in innovation and an acknowledgment of the need to increase the pace of our decarbonization efforts,” said Rio Tinto Iron Ore Managing Director of Port, Rail and Core Services, Richard Cohen. “By locking this in now, we are making progress in our efforts to reduce our Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2030.”…

BHP claims that it has fired at least 48 workers from its WA mining camps for sexual harassment or assault since 2019. Other preventative measures include more CCTV cameras, 24/7 security, better lighting and better locks. This information was revealed to a parliamentary inquiry examining sexual harassment against women at WA mine sites. Included in this inquiry were the results of a survey conducted by the Western Mineworkers Alliance which found that nearly a quarter of women working in WA mine sites have experienced physical acts of sexual assault, and two-in-three experienced harassment of a sexual nature. This is a serious and widespread issue for women who work in mining. Workplace safety has been high on the agenda across the…

NRW Holdings has secured two new contracts from Rio Tinto, one of which will see it enter the renewable energy fold with an agreement to deliver a 34MW solar photovoltaic system at the Gudai Darri mine in the Pilbara region of WA. The contract, valued at $60 million, is part of Rio Tinto’s commitment to reduce the carbon footprint of its operations with a stated target to reach net zero emissions by 2050. The scope of work for the solar farm includes design, procurement, construction, testing and commissioning of all equipment including a 33 kV substation to be integrated into the overall Rio Tinto iron ore infrastructure, including remote control and monitoring via the Rio Tinto Iron Ore Remote Operation Centre.…

Rio Tinto has showcased one of its last collections of rare Argyle pink, red, violet and blue diamonds to a select group of collectors, jewellers and investors. The 2020 Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender was previewed virtually by the exclusive group of buyers due to COVID-19, with viewings planned for later in the year at the Argyle mine, Perth, Singapore and Antwerp. The yearly tender is a collection of the rarest diamonds from a year’s production at the Argyle mine in the remote east Kimberley region of WA. One Lifetime, One Encounter is the title of this year’s historic collection and comprises 62 lots of single diamonds, weighing 57.23 carats, with an additional 12 lots known as The Petite Suites, weighing…

ONE of the best ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is by washing our hands often with soap and water, or if that is not an option, by using hand sanitiser. And because right now everyone is being extra vigilant about keeping our hands squeaky-clean, hand sanitiser is in short supply. To help, Rio Tinto teams around the world are doing everything from donating it to making their own. Here are three reasons why: When it makes its own, it leaves more for others. Six of Rio’s sites in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States have already made around 7000 litres. By making its own, the company can make sure it has enough to keep its employees’…

WA REMA Tip Top has received a bolster to its partnership with Monodelphous as the mining services giant awards it a $1.2m contract in the Pilbara, WA. Rema Tip Top will provide belt splicing capabilities for five conveyors, including overland and run of mine conveyors connecting Rio Tinto’s West Angelas Deposits C and D with its existing process plant and stockyard. REMA TIP TOP Asia Pacific chief executive, Benedikt Schneider, said that Rema Tip Top prides itself on its ability to provide best in class services. “This new contract with Monadelphous speaks to their trust in our ability to get the job done on time, to specification and with safety performance of paramount importance,” he said. Rema Tip Top is…

URANIUM producer Energy Resources of Australia has come close to exceeding its upper production guidance for 2019 and has realised slightly higher prices for its uranium oxide product. ERA stated it expects the uranium market to remain challenging in the near term, with the market’s surplus expected to continue into the medium term. “China-led demand growth is expected to support a rebalancing of the market over the longer term as China and other Asian countries continue to progress their nuclear power programs in accordance with long-term energy policy objectives,” ERA stated in its 2019 results announcement on Wednesday. ERA achieved an average price of US$41.89/pound last year on all sales of its uranium oxide product including contracted sales and spot…